MORE NEWS, 9-2: MICROGRIDS AND DIVERSIFICATION; N. DAKOTA WANTS WIND, GOES FOR IT; POST OFFICE CAN GO ELECTRIC–STUDY; SMALL WIND SETS HIGHER STANDARDS

MICROGRIDS AND DIVERSIFICATION
Building a Green Economy: Green Jobs, Transmission Lines & Microgrids
Peter Ausmus, August 31, 2009 (CleanTechies via Reuters)

"Imperial County…[with 20+%] perennial unemployment…[has] the "crown jewel" of all U.S. geothermal steam resources…[When last] December, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved the construction of the $1.9 billion Sunrise PowerLink transmission line, which could send clean electricity from Imperial County to San Diego…the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) petitioned the California Supreme Court…to review this decision, citing San Diego Gas & Electric's (SDG&E) refusal to guarantee that the transmission project would be reserved exclusively for renewable energy resources.

"…[The SDG&E] reluctance to commit itself to renewables was puzzling. Critics fear that SDG&E and its parent Sempra might have perverse motives. Among them: importing dirty power from Baja California, where Sempra co-owns a Liquefied National Gas (LNG) terminal…[E]nvironmentalists have always been strong advocates for displacing fossil fuels with renewable energy options. But they often emerge as key adversaries when specific projects [seem suspicious or] are proposed near their favorite parks or other preserved habitats. In this case, they contend the Sunrise transmission line would damage precious habitat and endangered species as it traverses the Cleveland National Forest."

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"…I can appreciate why many environmentalists might reflexively oppose new transmission lines…But I am also concerned about global climate change and the current economic crisis…CBD has proposed to invest the $1.9 billion in ratepayer funds to install new solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in San Diego itself, obviating the need to build the Sunrise transmission line…[S]olar PV installations generate more jobs per dollars invested than any other renewable energy source, that might not seem like a bad idea. But solar PV is also the most expensive of all current supply choices, and PV systems only produce power for 5 to 7 hours per day…

"…[G]eothermal energy's main advantage over solar PV is that it can provide round-the-clock electricity that can directly displace that from dirty coal or natural gas…Since geothermal costs less than a third of the cost of solar PV, ratepayers would be getting a better deal…20,000 jobs in Imperial County alone hang in the balance…The key to making a green economy work is diversity…of renewable supply…in the workforce…of regions tapped…A host of studies all project that California would rank No. 1 in …the creation of jobs under a federal program to respond to climate change by expanding reliance upon renewable energy…[But] bureaucratic complexity, foot-dragging utilities and the NIMBY syndrome have [obstructed development]…"

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"…[P]ower delivery system needs to shift to the local level…[to] the "microgrid," mini-islands of power fueled by distributed solar, wind and Combined Heat & Power (CHP) plants…[Some say] transmission lines should be our least priority…[Microgrids] can pool smaller distributed resources into a bundle that can be "islanded" during times of grid outages…[This] is a hedging strategy to move forward with renewables while waiting and seeing if any of the proposed transmission lines on the drawing boards ever get built…[T]he microgrid will be the wave of the future - since they allow us to rely on our own solar PV, small wind turbines, fuel cells and CHP units when the larger grid goes down…[but there is] resistance from utilities…[and] no coherent strategy or program to foster this sort of innovation…

"…[We] need to push forward with all options, since politics, economics and unforeseen circumstances tend to derail even the best intentions…If transmission lines similar to the Sunrise PowerLink are not built soon, California will never meet its global climate change goals or deliver on the promise of green jobs. The CBD lawsuit could put Sunrise on hold for years…[It is] a reminder that the only way to get buy-in from environmentalists for new transmission lines is to guarantee that these ratepayer investments serve the green economy, and not the vested interests of utilities…"


N. DAKOTA WANTS WIND, GOES AFTER IT
North Dakota wooing wind turbine manufacturers
Dale Wetzel, August 31, 2009 (AP via Forbes)

"North Dakota's potential for generating wind power should help lure businesses that make equipment for the industry, economic development officials believe, but analysts say the state will face stiff competition.

"The state Commerce Department has [extended the $68,000 contract through June 30 of] a British firm to help drum up business prospects in Europe, where a number of large wind energy companies are based…[The firm] helped arrange meetings with a half-dozen industry prospects…"

The potential is enormous. (click to enlarge)

"…The (N.D.] Commerce Department had a booth in [the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Windpower 2009] conference's exhibit hall and plans a larger presence at the association's 2010 trade show in Dallas…[The Department] emphasizes that North Dakota has a number of tax and job training incentives for manufacturers and that its location has easy access to both the United States and Canada…North Dakota has… more than 700 megawatts of [wind] power, and developers have announced plans to add an additional 6,000 megawatts…Each megawatt can provide enough electricity to serve about 300 homes for one year…Even 7,000 megawatts is well below the state's potential, according to [AWEA]…It says North Dakota is capable of producing 138,400 megawatts of wind power, the most of any state."

ND leaders want to put up more marks. (click to enlarge)

"North Dakota has two principal [wind] manufacturers…DMI Industries builds steel towers for wind turbines. LM Glasfiber…makes turbine blades...[The state is] working to recruit companies that make parts for nacelles, the unit that converts wind energy into electricity. The nacelle (nah-SELL') - a French word that means "small boat" - sits atop the wind tower, and includes a generator, a gear box, a meter that measures wind speed and other equipment…Gov. John Hoeven has met with executives of several leading wind energy companies, including General Electric…Siemens…and Acconia…[about] North Dakota companies…making parts for the nacelle.

"Several states are looking to move beyond tower and blade manufacturing and into the more specialized realm of manufacturing and assembling nacelle components…Vestas Wind Systems A/S, a Danish company, is building plants to assemble nacelles and manufacture wind turbine blades in Brighton, Colo., and a wind tower factory in Pueblo. [Spain’s] Gamesa Technology Corp….recently established a U.S. headquarters in Langhorne, Pa.,…[where it] makes blades and nacelles…Siemens SA, of Germany, announced in May it intended to build a a nacelle manufacturing plant in Hutchinson, Kan. Another German company, Nordex AG, is building a new factory in Jonesboro, Ark., to make nacelles and wind turbine blades…"


POST OFFICE CAN GO ELECTRIC – STUDY
U.S. Postal Service; Electrification of Delivery Vehicles
August 28, 2009 (U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General)

"…With a large geographically dispersed vehicle fleet and short delivery routes, the Postal Service makes a particularly interesting national laboratory for testing technological advancements of electric vehicles (EVs) sought by the President through the Department of Energy (DOE). The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) [studied the feasibility of using EVs] in the Postal Service in response to a request from Congressman José E. Serrano, Chairman, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, Committee on Appropriations…In summary, use of electric vehicles for Postal Service deliveries is operationally feasible and could provide a valuable opportunity for the nation to test EV technology. Due to the Postal Service’s current financial distress, government funds and vehicle to grid (V2G) revenue would likely be needed to make this transition economically feasible…

"…[The] broad use of EVs in the Postal Service delivery fleet would be operationally feasible. Current EV technology would work well with the average mail delivery driving distance of approximately 18 miles per day. Previous delivery operations tests…[showed] EV performance levels were adequate for mail delivery ranges of up to 40 miles a day and battery technology has advanced considerably since then…Only about 3 percent of the delivery fleet has driving distances that exceed that daily distance…[Because battery technology is still evolving]…we suggest the Postal Service phase in any electrification of its fleet…One area that should be further explored is how effectively EVs operate under adverse environmental conditions, such as very low winter temperatures…"

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"V2G technology establishes a system in which battery stored electricity or capacity can be sold to power wholesalers when electric vehicles are ― plugged-in or not in use for mail delivery. Alternatively, when vehicle batteries need to be fully charged, electricity from the power grid can charge the battery. Since most of the Postal Service’s 146,000 delivery vehicles are parked from approximately 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., the agency could use [plugged in] batteries as grid regulators…This would stabilize the electrical grid and, as a result, wholesalers who coordinate the movement of electricity would be willing to pay fees for regulation services…Currently, about 20 percent of the Postal Service delivery fleet is in an area which offers V2G…[I]n the next 2 to 5 years, there will be additional opportunities for V2G in other areas…as stimulus funding encourages… smart grid application…[T]he Postal Service should test and deploy EVs in geographical areas that offer V2G…"

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"The Postal Service’s difficult financial condition requires it to prioritize limited capital funds…[C]apital investments [must] generate a high return and have a short payback period – at least thirty percent and fewer than three years…We measured four economic scenarios for using electric vehicles in delivery operations. One of the four scenarios offers an opportunity to generate a high return in a short period. In this scenario, electrification of the Postal Service delivery vehicles can occur if the agency obtains significant federal government funds. The other scenarios become economically attractive if technology costs decline, additional funds are obtained, or the Postal Service’s financial situation improves.

"…[F]or purchasing 3,000 delivery vehicles...without assistance or V2G revenue the Postal Service would not realize its required rate of return. If, however, the upfront capital cost is overcome by participation in DOE-funded demonstration programs and V2G revenue is captured, the return increases to 63.2 percent with the agency breaking even within the first 2 years…Funding specifically targeting Postal Service mail delivery vehicles would likely be necessary to create an economic environment that provides incentives for the Postal Service to move into a leadership position with EV technology…"


SMALL WIND SETS HIGHER STANDARDS
Standards for Small-Scale Wind Power
Colin Miner, August 28, 2009 (NY Times)

"The American Wind Energy Association [AWEA] is developing a series of standards that will measure the safety, reliability and performance of small wind turbines.

"The standards, which the organization hopes to have in place by the end of the year, come amid increased interest in small-scale and rooftop wind power — typically designed for individual homes, farms and small businesses, and producing 100 kilowatts of electricity or less…"

Big growth requires high standards. (click to enlarge)

"…[T]he American National Standards Institute, which oversees the creation of thousands of standards for things as varied as bottled water and swimming pools, [picked AWEA] to steer the process for small wind standards."

Reliable standards will facilitate growth going forward. (click to enlarge)

"The new codes, which are still being completed, would compel manufacturers to put their turbines through a variety of tests that might, for example, demonstrate their reliability by having them operate continuously for 2,500 hours (including 25 hours when the wind speed is in excess of 33 miles an hour). Other tests might be used to ensure that turbines don’t exceed a certain decibel level while operating, or are capable of shutting down in extremely high winds, which can be dangerous.

"…[W]hile a standard, which would be administered by the newly formed Small Wind Certification Corporation, would help the industry gain credibility, there are several things it won’t do [like]…make turbines more efficient…[but] standards would be a boon for consumers by forcing manufacturers to be honest [in their claims]…"